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Wednesday, March 21, 2018

2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty: #156 “Choices In Friends”

In my county we implemented what we call Peer Courts, which submit real juvenile delinquency cases to local high school jurors. The jurors question the subject and also his or her parents about the offense and the overall situation, retire to deliberate, and then recommend a sentence to a real judge who then imposes it. (Often the judges make some modifications, because frequently these jurors can be pretty tough.) But the beauty of this program is that, if the subject completes the imposed sentence within the next four months, the underlying charges are then dismissed and the subject will have no criminal record (this is what we call a “diversion” program).

When I preside over these sessions I frequently ask the subjects to close their eyes and think of three of young people that they “hang out” with. Then, once they have those three in mind, I ask them if they believe that ten years from now their associates will be successful in their lives. Most often the answer is no. Of course, the underlying message is that the odds are good that if their associates do things like ditching school, smoking marijuana and being disrespectful of their teachers and parents, this will strongly contribute to their lack of success. But, conversely, young people who are serious students, respectful of others and maximize their opportunities will probably be a success. And it is almost certain that the subjects will turn out the same way – one way or the other. So we have the Liberty of choice of our friends, but we will be held accountable for the choices we make. Then I finish this thought by looking the subjects in the eye and saying: “You show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future. You might want to adjust accordingly.” And I am proud to say that, over the years, this approach has been effective. (Try this approach with your children, or grandchildren. I think you will like the results.)

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)
2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President,
along with Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

** Here is an additional thought that holds true in our family:“I work hard so my dog can have a better life.”

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About Judge Jim Gray

Cited on numerous occasions for his work in the areas of both social reform and civic philanthropy, Judge James P. Gray currently presides over the civil trial calendar for the Superior Court of Orange County.
Judge Gray was appointed to the Santa Ana Municipal Court in 1983 by Governor George Deukmejian, and in 1989, Deukmejian elevated Gray to his post with the Superior Court.
Throughout his 29-year career within the legal and judicial community, Jim Gray has not only donated hundreds of hours of volunteer time to existing community service-oriented activities, he also has created and implemented a number of innovative programs of his own, each one a success story in itself.